Injection apparatus



Nov. 6, 1951 w. E. HINDS 2,574,263

INJECTION APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 William E.Hinds I INVENTOR.

H t tcrney Nov. 6, 1951 w. E. HINDS 2,574,263

INJECTION APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1945 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Variable Speed70 Transmission William E. Hinds IN V EN TOR.

Attorney Patented Nov. 6, 1951 om reo INJECTION APPARATUS William E.nindajiliilsbore,megs Mrs. William E. Hinds; 'speeialfadminis'tratrix ofsaid 'William 4 unmas, deceased Application-September 22, 1945,Serial-No-.-617,--,97 6

This ih vehtion relates to iri jefitien bfiliitii's and, moreparticularly to matter afivnap'peiams for operatinga syringe. I

A primary Object of the present ii'ivl'itioifis to meme a new andimp-raved apparatiis am eriting a syringe whereby a'liquid friid'ioatiofri may be admiiiistered to a patient continuously over a prolongedfiridd of time and at a "dfi'rii'teijahd positive rat-e. v a 1 thetratihent of idatihts flsiiee imegwith 'c'ftaih diseases, liquidmedications aresome times administere by iiijection eithersubcutaneeasiy, intravenously, imramuseuiarly, n either of which'methoiisfthe active substance findjsj'its wayifito'the'blood streamahdacts upon the foreign bacteria'theriii. Rarel does a sir sleirijeotiohproife suffiie'ntfcn the reason that the active substance atthe medication aces not remain in the blood stream ran enough toelimifi'iatefal'l of "the Bacteria therein, and, according tblb'liiaccepted mediem practice, a PIiir'a-Iity of iiijedtiohh'fie (usuallymade 'at spac ed intervals of "time. Permeic injctiohs are 'relativelyirieflici'iit fer the "reason that the'blood titer, that is,"theh'dfibeiitra'tioh of the active "substance the blood streamfluctuates along a ciir've \ofsaw tooth CHQiH-fifisfidf Immediatelyidiifiiiii'lQ' bile inj'eotibh "the blood titer rises relativelyfriapidly to inaxiziiiim and then'cbi'hmhces to drli'pas the ctiveTsiibst'ahce is r moved from the blood stream 'in'the k'idheys,-thebile, and other organs The blood titer will thus be 'bacterocidal onlyever a relatiine'ly short period of time 'fdijas it 'd'r'oiis below a.predetermined .poirit, it fivfll gee b i ly'badtro'static and asit dropsto a still farthe? 'Do'ifit "the ba'te'iia may commeneete'multimy againbefore the 'nit injetibin tfe'fi. With the niit ih j thin the bleedtite'if immediately rises t'o a hiaxiihiifiijaaihiahdfthh i'a'roceedstodr'cib a's'pijeviiblisiy de. ii over'anentiietreatme'rit period ofperiodic. trons according to iiii'of' tiractice'the'fiieiiicamefit is inreality effective 'dhly 'OVei ii atiiielyshrt intervals. The length orthe :treatifieiitfiiiod is"the n'ieqi1ired to be "extended over arelatively lQhg time and, "xhor'OVij, "aln' attehdal'it s'i lCh as 3doctor or a niirse mustjbe constantly 'ohchiti thi'oiighblit theentireperiod in order {team S ter the periodic injections. new, .57 ritiiiires hospitalization of the patieri't 'resditifig' iii anexcessiyely high cost for the treatnfent. TO'avdid the hi gl'l'cdst ofhospitaIiZatibhit a common praeticeto administera few 'firoi erijitigied' 'injections'to the patient at the physician's om-ce durin'g'ofiice hours. The patient then-goes hoine 'aiid'retiirhs the hitday fora' f iii'thi series or iiijeoti'oh's. Such ariieth'od offtrea'tin tgli'sobviously inefficient and in many cases htirli ifi'effective. V

According tofn'y invention an initialj lafivi largedo se of themedication is .iiijected into the patiehtltb'raiseth blood'titr toaiiredeterihinod desired value, after "which t e Y iheiiicafiientcontinuously injected at 'a calculated rate meat to the blood titer atsuch value andro'r such aberiodof tiine a; may benecessari to eliminate"the bacteria from the blood stream; y thi procedure, thejtota-i lengthof the treatr'iie'iit tiiiieis very greatl i'educedwhile theamouiit ofmedicament used is Imu I less than that which wouldhe required if-adni'ih1stered by periodic ihjectionsv. -For example,-a sing1e -ihjeotion a'diriihister'ed 'co'ritinuoiis'ly so as to maintain apredetermined constant blood titer oyer aene hourperiod may be effectiveequally as a' dqaen separate ihj edtidns adhihiistld at half-houriritervais, injwhioh case th'e'ftratmeiit Itiiiie woiild 'b'e rediiodtram six hours as br'iehou'rwhile the quantity of fndica ih ht' iisd"w'odm be .iit down toaboiit one-third. W I 3 [It has beeniropqsedfheretoforeg to adIr i-nister inedic'atioiis topatient's bygravity -fiow-from :a container 'arrar geda suitable height above theiiatieri't and from which themedicatiOn is corrdiicted through a ruhloer t be to the injectior; needle. Such a methodof -admip -istratior1is not satisfactory where the rate of dosage adminise tered is requiredto be Very low, such-as one er two (cos. per hour. At such'a low"feedingrate-a siriallriri'trnal Idianieter tribe is required to be Usedand dil to the frictional resistance and cape illary attraction of thetli be passage it is .very d "t 'r l te,. flew of h iq id the ethroiigh.Furthermore the 'd-isch arge' thro g h the needle could be very easilystopped acciden tally either by amere flexion of the muscles er mdvememsof 'the bo'dy' soIas to c ause;an obstruo tion at the tip of the needle.I Furthermore, it hasbeeh discovered that it is dangero is to-ieaye apatientalone and unattended while inedieatibns are admifiisterdaccording tois'uoh'iiiethod because a: the f'dja'rig''r of the weeteeming kifiked'andblood aiawn u irito th e'heedle Where it clots. Uponrelease of bressuifethe clot-is forced hack into the Blood streamwhereitis'azit to cause fatal frs'iilts, Iii "the. administration o1;medications 4 at a ver slow rate as @inentione d above it is'de's'irahleto ilsfe a very small linternai ameter time and it is qm'eunito 'forcehqd-id tfirethratrgh by any gr vity system due ttrie uponthe medication so as to insure a continuous and positive flow throughthe needle.

And another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thetype described in which the motive power for driving the syringe pistonis provided by a motor having a constant speed characteristic.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of theclass described whichdoes not require any attention once it is placed inoperation until the end of the period when it may be disconnected andthe injection needle removed from the patient.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings while the invention itself will be pointed outwith greater articularity in the appended claims.

' In the drawing, Fig. i is a plan view illustrating the inventionaccording to one form thereof; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of theinvention; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3--3 ofFig. 1; Fig.4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the lin 4-4of'Fig. 1; Fig. 5is a fragmentary detail view taken along the line 5-5of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a view, partly in section, illustrating afurther modification of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings the invention comprisesa housing I0 whichis of a generally rectangular box like shape. A syringe holder II ismounted upon the top l2 of the housing and which is adapted for holdinga syringe [4 in a predetermined and horizontally extending position. Theholder ll consists of a block having a V-shaped recess I6 in the uppersurface thereof whereby syringes of different diameters may be seatedtherein and which, irrespective of their diameter will be held withtheir longitudinal axis in the same vertical plane. The holder isprovided with a forward flange H which forms a stop for the forward endwall of the syringe. A feeding tube is illustrated as attached to thesyringe l4 and having an injection needle 2| affixed to the end thereof.The syringe Il may be secured in any suitable manner into the V-shapedrecess in the holder I I, the holding arrangement as shown in thedrawing consisting merely of pairs of opposed pins secured in the outerside walls of the holder about which heavy rubber even a very minuteclearance between it and the syringe barrel. Suitably anchored in thepiston is a stem or push rod 32 which is provided with a shoulder 33 anda threaded end portion having a nut 35 threadily arranged thereupon.

A reciprocating means is provided upon the top of the housing and whichcomprises a rack bar slidably arranged within a guide member 4i securedto the upper surface of the cover l2 and integral with the adjacent endof the holder 1 The rack bar 30 is of a round cross-section having aflattened side provided with teeth 43. The rack bar 40 is slidablewithin the guide 4| and through the lower part of the syringe holder ina direction longitudinally parallel with the axis of the syringe mountedin the holder I I. Secured to the rack bar 40 and extending upwardlythrough the elongated slot in the guide membands 26 are adapted to bestrung extending across the top of the syringe barrel. It will beobvious, however, that any other suitable means may be provided.

The syringe i4 may be of any conventional form though, as shown in thedrawings, it is provided with a rubber flanged piston 30 which isadapted to wipe snugly against the inner surface of the syringe barrelin order to prevent any leakage of fluid therepast. It will beunderstood that in cases where medication is to be administered at anextremely low rate, such as one or two ccs. per hour, the medication mayseep by capillary attraction past a glass or metal piston having her 4|is a bifurcated lever arm which is adapted to be secured relatively tothe piston 30 of the syringe between the shoulder 33 and the nut 35 onthe end of the stem 32.

Operatively connected to the rack bar 40 for driving the same is aconstant speed electric motor such as a small synchronous motor andwhich is mounted within the lower part of the housing Ill. The motor 55is connected by suitable gearing to the rack bar, the gearingarrangement as shown comprising a drive shaft 56 extending from themotor having a pinion thereon meshed with the gear 51 arranged upon theshaft 58. The gear 51 on shaft 58 is held between a pair of opposedfriction clutch discs, the pressure of which upon the gear 51 beingsuflicient for transmitting torque for driving the rack bar 43 and thepiston of the syringe during normal operation. However, if the motor 55should not be de-energized before the piston 30 reaches the end of thesyringe barrel then upon movement of the piston to its limit positionthe clutch will slip on the opposite sides of the gear 51 to preventdamage to either the motor, the gearing or to the syringe. The upper endof the shaft 58 extends through the cover l2 and has a pinion 59 mountedthereon which is meshed with the teeth on the rack bar 40.

Secured to the shaft 53 is a bevelled gear 60 and which is adapted to becooperatively engaged by another bevelled gear provided upon the end ofa shaft 6| extending to the outside of the hous ing. Mounted on theouter end of the shaft 6| is a knob 62 by means of which the shaft maybe pushed in against the bias of spring 63 to cause engagement of thebevelled gears and whereupon the rack bar may be manually adjusted suchas for aligning the lever 50 against the shoulder of the piston stem 32when initially assembling the syringe into the holder and prior toplacement of the apparatus in operation. The knob 62 may also beemployed for injecting an initial dosage to the patient immediatelyprior to the adminis-' tration of the injection on a continuous feedbasis through operation of the motor 55.

The motor 55 and the connection gearing between the motor and the rackbar may be'soarranged as to provide any desired rate of feed from thesyringe into the patient. The rate of feed may be adjusted by usingsyringes of different diameters, it being obvious that by increasing ordecreasing the diameter of the syringe the rate of feed may becorrespondingly varied even with {the housing and connected in thesupply conductors 16 leading to the motor, tires-witch being providedwith a knob 11 extending above the top of the housing. Because of thefact that the rate of movement of the rack bar will be so slow as not.to-be noticeable, I provide aa'suitable means for indicating therotationof the motor. Mountedupon shaft 58 is. a large gear 80- which ismeshed with a small pinion which in turn is mounted upon a shaft havingan indicator-disc 81 provided on the upper end thereof: The disc maybeviewed through a window provided in the top of a small enclosure 82mounted on the housing cover.

According to the modification'of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6I'provide a variable speed transmission 78 between the motor 55 and thegearing arrangement as previously described. Extending from thetransmission is a control shaft H the upper end of which extends throughthe housing cover H and provided with a knob 1.2 on theupper end thereofbymeans of which the speed ratio of the transmission 70 ma be varied asdesired. In an apparatus provided with a variable speed transmissionbetween the. driving :motor and rack bar a syringe of-any' availablesize maybe used and the speed of the recipr'ocating rack bar adjustedaccordingly soas to provide the desired rate of feed of medication tothe patient. v

While the invention has been described with particular reference to anapparatus designed for continuous injection of a medicament into apatient at 'a very low rate, it'w'ill be obvious that the invention isnot to be necessarily so limited in that it may equally well beadapted'ior injection of ordinary solutions, plasma, and thellk-e whichare sometimes administered in a large quantity over a relativelyshort-period of time. In such applications, the holder will be adaptedfor holdingalarge capa'citysy-ringe. Having described the invention inwhat are considered to be certain preferred embodiments thereof, it isdesired that it be understood that the specific details shown anddescribed are merely illustrative and that the invention maybe carriedout-byoth'er means.

What'I claim is:

1. Ina low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combinationcomprising a housing, a syringe holder mounted on said housing andadapted for holding a syringe in a predetermined horizontally extendingposition, a constant speed motor mounted within said housing,reciprocating operating means extendingfrom the top of said housing andadapted operatively to engage the syringe piston, said operating meansbeing movable in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of saidsyringe, unidirectional drive means including a releasable connectionconnecting, said motor and said reciprocating means whereby saidreciprocating means may :be. driven by said motor in the direction toforce the piston inwardly of said syringe, said driving means includinga variable speed gearing between said motor and said releasableconnection, and manual operating means operatively associated with saiddrive means between said releasable connection and said reciprocatingmeans for permitting manual actuation of said reciprocating meansindependently of said motor.

2. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combinationcomprising a syringe holder for supporting a syringe in a predeterminedfixed position, a reciprocating means mounted atone end of said holderand adapted operative= 'l-y to engage the syringe piston, motor mountedadjacent :said holder,- unidirectional drive means including a clutchextending be' tween said motor means and said reciprocating meanswhereby. said 'reciprocating means may be driven :by said motor means inthe direction to forcesaid piston inwardly of said-syringe'said driveconnectionincluding a variable speedipower transmission, means connectedto said transmissicn whereby the driving rate of speed for saidreciprocating means may be selectablycontrolled, and manual operatingmeans operatively associated with said drive means between said clutchand said reciprocating means whereby said reciprocating means may bemanually adjusted independently of said motor-means.

' 3. In a low speed continuousv injection appa. ratus, the combinationcomprising a housing, a syringe holder mounted-onsaid housing; saidholder defining an elongated V shaped recess adapted for receiving'asyringe barrel :and positioning th'e'axis of said barrel in apredetermined plane, means for securing said syringe in said recess, arack bar arranged adjacent said holder for longitudinal sliding movementin a direction parallel with said plane, means for securing the pistonof said syringe to said rack bar, and con.- stant speed motor meansarranged within said housing,- u'nidire'ctional drive means connectingsaid motor and said rack bar for driving sa'id rack bar in the directionto force the piston -in wardlyof said syringe. r

'4. In a low speed continuous injection appara tus,-'th-e combinationcomprising a housing, a syringe holder mounted. on the top of saidhousing and'adapted for holding the syringe in a'predetermined position,a rackbar slidably mounted adjacent said holder, a guide'member for saidrack bar, said rack bar being movable in said guide member in adirection parallel with the longitudinal axis of said syringe, anupstanding lever secured to said rack bar, an elongated slot in saidmember through which said lever" extends, means for securing a syringepiston to said lever, "a constant speed motor mounted within saidhousing, and unidirectional gear driving means connecting said motor andsaid rack bar whereby said rack bar is driven in the direction to iorcesaid piston inwardly of said syringe.

I 5. In alow speed continuous injection app'ajratus, the combinationcomprising a housing, a syringe .holder mounted on said housing andadapted .for holding a syringe in a predetermined 5 position, a rack barmounted for longitudinal sliding movement adjacent the end of saidholder, said rack bar being movable in the direction parallel ,with theline of syringe piston movement, an upstanding lever secured to saidrack bar and adapted to be secured relative to the syringe piston, aconstant speed electric motor mounted within said housing,unidirectional-drive gearing between said motor and said rack bar fordriving said bar in the-direction to force said piston inwardly of thesyringe, a releasable connection between said motor and said rack bar,and manual operating means connected to said gearing between saidreleasable connection and said rack bar for operating said rack barindependently of said motor.

6. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combination, ahousing, a syringe holder mounted on thetop of said housing, said holderbeing adapted for receiving a syringe and for holding the same in afixed position, a con stant speed electric, motor mounted within saidhousing, lever means extending from the top of said housing and adjacentthe end of said holder, said lever means being adapted to operativelyengage the syringe piston, reciprocating means operatively connected tosaid lever means for moving said lever means in a directionlongitudinally of said syringe, and unidirectional driving meansincluding a .frictionclutch extending between said motor and saidreciprocating means whereby said reciprocating means may be driven toforce said piston inwardly of said syringe.

= 7. In a low speed continuous injectionapparatus, the combinationcomprising a supporting base member, a syringe holder mounted on the top01 said base member, said holder being adapted for supporting a syringe,actuating means. mounted on said base member for movement in a directionparallel with the direction of movement of the syringe piston, means foroperatively connecting said actuating means, to said syringe piston,constant speed motor means mounted on said base member andunidirectional drive means operatively connecting said motor means tosaid actuating means, the connection between said motor means and saidactuating means including a friction clutch adapted to slip uponpredetermined abnormal resistance to movement of the syringe piston.

,8. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combinationcomprising a syringe holder, a motor means, unidirectional drive meansincluding a friction clutch connecting said motor means to the syringepiston to drive said piston inwardly of thetsyringe, and manualoperatingmeans connected to said drive means between said clutch and said pistonwhereby the syringe piston may be manually adjusted independently ofsaid motor means.

9. The combination comprising a support, a syringe holder mounted onsaid support and adapted for holding a syringe in a predeterminedhorizontally extending position, a constant speed motor mounted within ahousing, reciprocating operating means extending from said housing andadapted to operatively engage the syringe piston, said operating meansbeing movable in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis ofsaidsyringe, variable speed gearing connecting said motor and saidreciprocating means whereby the speed of travel of said reciprocatingmeans may be selectively controlled, a releasable connection betweensaid motor and said reciprocating means, and manual operating meansoperatively associated with said reciprocating means for actuating saidreciprocating means inde pendently of said motor.

10. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combinationcomprising a support, a syringe holder mounted on said support andadapted for holding a syringe in a predetermined horizontally extendingposition, a constant speed motor mounted within said housing,reciprocating operating means'extendin'g from said-hous ing and adaptedto operatively engage the syringe piston, a unidirectional drivingconnection including a friction clutch between said motor and saidoperating means whereby said operating means may be driven by said motorin the direction to force the piston inwardly of the syringe, saidoperating means being movable in a direction parallel with thelongitudinal axis of said syringe, and'manualoperating means operativelyassociated with said reciprocating means between said clutch and saidpiston wherebysaid reciprocating means may be actuated manually ineither direction of ,travel independently of said motor.

11. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combinationcomprising a support, a syringe holder fixedly mounted on said supportand adapted for holding a syringe in a predetermined fixed position, aconstant speed motor mounted within a housing, operating means extendingfrom said housing and adapted operatively to engage the syringe pistonfor effecting longitudinal movement thereof in either direction, aunidirectional drive connection including a friction clutch extendingbetween said motor and said operating means for driving said syringepiston solely in the direction inwardly of said syringe, stationaryguide means on said support cooperatively associated with said operatingmeans for guiding the movement thereof in a direction parallel with thelongitudinal axis of said syringe, and manual operating meansoperatively connected with said first operating means whereby saidsyringe piston may be actuated in either direction of travelindependently of said motor.

12. In a low speed continuous injection apparatus, the combinationcomprising a syringe holder for stationarily supporting a syringe, areciprocating means mounted at one end of said holder and adaptedoperatively to engage the syringe piston, means supporting saidreciprocating means for movement in a direction parallel with the lineof movement of said piston, a constant speed motor, a unidirectionaldriving means connecting said motor to said reciprocating means fordriving said reciprocating means in a direction to force the pistoninwardly of said syringe, said driving means including a resistanceclutch permitting stoppage 01' said reciprocating means upon occurrenceof abnormal resistance to movement of the syringe piston whilepermitting continued operation of said motor.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent? UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 780,147 Wilcox eta1. Jan. 17, 1905 1,922,941 Francis et a1 Aug. 15, 1933 1,966,498 GrossI July 17, 1934 2,093,344 Wandel Sept. 14, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date I 28,796 Great Britain Dec. 13, 1913

